Putting practice device

ABSTRACT

A golf putting practice device ( 10 ) having a main housing ( 12 ), a substantially flattened ball tray ( 16 ) to receive putted balls that is retractable and removable, and a flipper device ( 28 ) disposed in a position along the rear face of the ball tray ( 16 ) to automatically return the putted balls from the ball tray ( 16 ) back to the person making the putt.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

[0001] This invention relates to golf putting practice devices and, more particularly, to golf putting practice devices of the type embodying a feature to return a ball back to the person executing a putt.

[0002] Various putting practice devices, which use mechanisms to return the ball to a person, have been heretofore known in the art. Some of these devices use spring loaded or solenoid operated catapult type ball return systems. Another version employs a sliding carriage assembly mounted on a track and equipped with a paddle. An electric motor using a pulley and belt assembly drives carriage assembly with the attached paddle that sweeps the ball forwardly to the end of the track where a pivoting action of the paddle flips the ball back to the person executing the putt. All previous variations of the putting practice devices require large shells to accommodate the interior space required for the various catapulting systems to retract and then move forward to eject the ball as well as huge ball trays to create oversized targets to prevent missed putts. The aforementioned produces large and bulky putting practice systems.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

[0003] It is the primary object of the present invention to afford a novel putting practice device that is substantially smaller in size than existing prior art.

[0004] Another object is to afford a novel putting practice device, which, after receiving the ball, will return the same substantially to the place from which it was putted.

[0005] A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel putting practice device that is highly portable.

[0006] Other objects and advantages of the present invention are to afford a putting practice device with a ball tray that can be repositioned or detached for storage.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to afford a more realistic putting target that more simulates the size and shape of the actual hole on the golf course.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is to afford a putting practice device with a ball tray that has a floor with a substantially shallow slope rearward, thereby affording a more flattened ball tray entrance.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a substantially flattened ball tray and eliminate the extra force needed in the stroke when putting the ball to overcome the steep incline of the ball tray ramp of conventional putting practice devices and afford a more natural putting action for stroking the ball.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf putting practice device that is battery powered for convenience and high portability.

[0011] Other objects and advantages of the present invention are a means to deactivate the practice putting device by means of a switch to disconnect the power to prevent unintentional activation during transporting or storage.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf putting practice device with an indicator that warns when the power to the unit is turned on and the putting practice device is ready for operation.

[0013] Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what are considered to be the best mode in which to apply these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention provides a golf putting apparatus with a ball tray for receiving a golf ball putted therein. The ball tray may be repositioned or detached for convenient storage of the apparatus. A flipper device, disposed along the rear face of the ball tray, is used to eject the ball from the tray. The flipper device is provided with a mechanical means for pivoting about a pivot axis between a normal position disposed along the rear face of the ball tray to the extended position in such a manner to eject the ball from the tray and return the ball to the person making the putt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In the drawings:

[0016]FIG. 1 is the front perspective view of a golf putting practice device embodying the principles of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with a portion of the shell cut away to show in more detail the ball return flipper device;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows, with the outline of the shell of the device show in dashed lines for simplicity;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with the ball receiving tray in the raised position and also when the ball tray is detached; and

[0021]FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the ball return flipper device embodied in the golf putting practice device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4.

[0022] REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 10 putting practice device 12 main housing 14 base 16 ball tray 17 ball tray floor 18 ball retard rib 20 pivot arm 22 pivot socket 24 pivot rod 26 pivot hole 28 flipper device 30 switch arm 31 switch opening 32 trigger 34 trigger stop 36 axle 38 tension spring 40 fixed anchor 42 pivotal anchor 44 anchor support 46 cog wheel 48 cog wheel arm 50 resilient movable contactor 52 retractor switch 54 release switch 56 resilient movable contactor 58 side support member 60 top support member 62 ball 64 ball pocket 66 outline of shell 68 motorized mechanism 70 outline of ball tray 72 light emitting diode (led) 74 main switch 76 motorized mechanism

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A game device in the form of a golf putting practice device 10, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown in FIGS. 1-6, inclusive, of the drawings, to illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The golf putting practice device 10 embodies, in general, a main housing 12 to enclose the ball return apparatus, a ball tray 16 for receiving the ball, a base 14, a ball return flipper device 28 disposed longitudinally to the tray 16 for returning a ball from the ball tray 16 to the person putting the ball therein.

[0025] The present invention is characterized by a ball return mechanism which automatically ejects the ball from the ball tray 16 each time the ball is putted therein and returns it to the person making the putt. The ball return mechanism includes a flipper device 28 positioned longitudinally about the rear face of the ball tray 16. The flipper device 28 has a flat front surface with the open recessed to form the ball pocket 64.

[0026] The flipper device is normally biased by the cog wheel arm 48 into a rearward retracted position so as to retain the flipper 28 at its retreated position longitudinally along the rear face of the ball tray 16 as shown by solid lines in FIG. 3 but, when the cog wheel arm 48 advances by rotation of the cog wheel 46 about axle 36, shown by broken lines in FIG. 3, and against the force of the spring 38, the trigger 32 is disengaged and the flipper device 28 is rotated about the pivot rod 24 as the center substantially to a horizontally disposed position perpendicular to the ball tray 16 as shown by broken lines in FIG. 3.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 6 in particular, the flipper device 28 is pivotally secured at 26 at the top support member 60 and the base 14 by the pivot rod 24 passing throughout which provides a vertical axis about which the flipper device 28 may pivot relative to the top support member 60 and base 14. Alternative designs may secure the described flipper device 28 with pivot pins axially aligned and secured at 26 at the top support member 60 and base 14. The flipper device 28 is retreated against the tension force created by spring 38 by attachment to the fixed anchor 40 and pivotal anchor 42, and further referenced in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0028] In the ball return means of the above arrangement, the motorized mechanism 76 rotates the cog wheel 46 about the axle 36, as shown in FIG. 3, and the cog wheel arm 48 engages the trigger 32 of the flipper device 28 to cause, with further rotation of the cog wheel 46, the flipper device 28 to rotate rearwardly against the tension force of the spring 38. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the flipper device 28 is fully retreated to the predetermined position, the switch arm 30 on the flipper device 28 engages the resilient movable contactor 50 of the retractor switch 52 and thereby interrupts the power to the motorized mechanism 76 and further causing the rearwardly rotating of the flipper device 28 to terminate. When the ball 62 is rolled into the ball tray 16 and comes to rest against and depresses the resilient movable contactor 56 of the release switch 54 located at the switch opening 31 of the flipper device 28, power is restored to the motorized mechanism 76 and the cog wheel 46 further rotates about the axle 36 causing the cog wheel arm 48 to disengage the trigger 32 whereby the flipper device 28 is caused to be quickly returned to the rotated position by the resilient force of the spring 38. Although the present invention describes the resilient movable contactor 56 and the release switch 54 as located at the switch opening 31 of the flipper device 28, resilient movable contactor 56 and the release switch 54 may be located at various positions in proximity to the flipper device 28 rendering the switch opening 31 of the flipper device 28 to be removed and still remain within the scope of the herein described invention.

[0029] The present embodiment of the putting practice device 10 is also characterized by a ball tray 16 that is pivotally secured at pivot arm 20 at pivot socket 22 to the base 14. The invention contemplates the provision of pivot sockets 22 that allow the pivot arms 20 to become dislodged from their position therein in the event of extreme force applied to the pivot arms 20 against the pivot socket. The distance along the longitudinal center line of the putting path as identified by the letter C in FIG. 3 from the entrance of the ball tray 16 to the flipper device 28 is sufficiently shallow and represents about one-half of the diameter of a regulation golf hole, thereby requiring only a slight sloping of the ball tray floor 17 to direct the ball 62 into the ball pocket 64 therein. This gives the ball tray floor 17 a low interior profile at the front entrance, which provides a correspondingly flatter surface for a ball 62 to roll therein. This affords the practice putting device 10 with a ball tray 16 closely related to the regulation hole in the game of golf. The herein described ball tray 16 of the present invention may be connected in various other means to the putting practice device 10 that allow the ball tray 16 to be physically detached from the putting practice device 10 for storage and transporting and reattached to use the device for the herein intended purpose.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the invention also contemplates the provision of a ball retarding rib 18 at the entrance to the ball tray 16 to check the speed of a ball travelling into the ball tray 16 and further to aid in retaining a ball 62 inside the parameter of the ball tray 16 once it has entered thereto, unless said ball is directed thereto at excessive speed.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, the device 10 of the present embodiment is further provided, as mounted in the main housing 12 part, with a light emitting diode (LED) 74 to indicate when power is turned on to the unit which is connected by an electrical connector (not shown) to the main switch 72 that turns on and shuts off power to the device 10.

[0032] The operation of the putting practice device according to the present invention shall be described next as summarized. Referring to FIG. 3, when the putted ball successfully enters the ball tray 16, the ball comes to rest in the ball pocket 64 and against the resilient movable contactor 56, shown in FIG. 2, of the release switch 54 located at the switch opening 31 of the flipper device 28 which is disposed in a retracted position against the tension force created by spring 38 longitudinally along the rear face of the ball tray 16 by the cog wheel arm 48 of the rotating cog wheel 46 about the axle 36 engaging the trigger 32 of the flipper device 28. Referring to FIG. 4, in this retreated position, the switch arm 30 of the flipper device 28 engages the resilient movable contactor 50 of the retractor switch 52 and thereby shuts off the power to the motorized mechanism 76 that rotates the cog wheel 46. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, when the ball rests against the resilient movable contactor 56 of the release switch 54, the motorized mechanism 76 is energized and rotates the cog wheel 46 about axle 36 and dislodges the cog wheel arm 48 from the trigger 32 of the flipper device 28 causing the flipper device 28 to return quickly to the rotated position by the resilient force of the spring 38, shown by broken lines in FIG. 3, where the forward motion of the flipper device 28 is halted by the trigger stop 34, thereby ejecting the ball from the ball tray 16 and returning the ball back to the person making the putt.

[0033] Referring again to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, concurrently, with the forgoing ball return operation, the switch arm projection 30 of the rotated flipper device 28 disengages the resilient movable contactor 50 of the retractor switch 52 thereby providing power to the motorized mechanism 76 and causing the cog wheel 46 to rotate about the axle 36 to a position where the cog wheel arm 48 engages the trigger 32 of the flipper device 28 and rotates the flipper device 28 against the tension of the spring 38 to a longitudinally retreated position along the rear face of the ball tray 16. With the above arrangement of ball returning means, it will be readily appreciated that the intended ball return operation can be realized by the energy of a battery or batteries accommodated in the device which requires no connecting to any external commercial power source which further enhances the extreme portability of the device.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 4, the ball tray 16 is pivotally secured at pivot arm 20 at pivot socket 22 to the base 14 of the putting practice device 10 and is characterized by a sufficiently shallow depth measured along the longitudinal center line of the putting path as identified by the letter C in FIG. 3 from the entrance of the ball tray 16 to the ball pocket 64 of the flipper device 28, representing substantially one-half of the diameter of a regulation golf hole. Henceforth, this requires only a minimal slope in the ball tray floor 17 to direct the ball 62 into the ball pocket 64 formed by the intersection of the flipper device 28 and the face of the main housing 12. Thusly, the incline at the entrance of the ball tray 16 is substantially low and allows the putted ball to enter the ball tray without the aid of a ramp. Referring to FIG. 5, the ball tray 16 of the present invention may be rotated in an upward direction from the normal flat position for ball retrieval in the intended use to fold substantially against the main housing 12 to store the device 10. The current embodiment also contemplates the provision of pivot sockets 22 that allow the pivot arms 20 of the ball tray 16 to detach and breakaway from the from the pivot sockets 22 when a force is exerted to the pivot arms 20 in a direction pulling away from the pivot sockets 22.

[0035] Notwithstanding the forgoing, it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantaged, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not intended in a limiting sense. 

Having thus described the invention, I hereby claim:
 1. A golf putting apparatus comprising: a ball tray for receiving a golf ball putted therein; a flipper device for ejecting the ball out of the ball tray to return the ball to the person making the putt; means for mounting said flipper device in said putting apparatus for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a substantially normal position disposed at the rear face of the of the ball tray to the extended position in such a manner to eject the ball from the tray; and means for mechanical rotation of said flipper device.
 2. The golf putting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said ball tray is substantially greater than or equal to one half the size of a regulation golf hole, and wherein means to displace said ball tray comprises a device for pivotally supporting the ball tray to allow the ball tray to rotate into a substantially upright position and a means to detach said ball tray from said apparatus.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for mounting said flipper device comprises pivotal movement of said flipper device about a generally vertical pivot axis between the normal position wherein the flipper device is disposed along the rear face of the ball tray to said extended position.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means to pivotally move flipper device to the extended position in such a manner to eject the ball from the tray is the contracting force exerted by means of the spring attached to the anchor of the pivoting end of said flipper device and secured to the fixed anchor at the gearbox connection.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flipper device is recessed at the end opposite the pivotal end and forms the ball pocket when it intersects with the main housing at the retracted position.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said flipper device contains an opening in the formed ball pocket portion of the flipper device for the protrusion of the ball return switch contactor.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including means for mechanical rotation of said flipper device from a normally biased extended position to a retracted position comprises a rotational energy connecting element.
 8. A golf putting apparatus comprising a ball tray employing a means to displace said ball tray to a position for storage other than the normal position for ball retrieval during the intended use.
 9. The golf putting apparatus of claim 8, wherein said ball tray is substantially equal to one half the size of a regulation golf hole, thereabouts, and wherein means to displace said ball tray comprises a device for pivotally supporting said ball tray to allow said ball tray to pivot into a substantially upright or greater position and a means to detach said ball tray from said apparatus.
 10. A golf putting apparatus further comprising a main housing with a ball return apparatus for returning putted balls to the person making the putt.
 11. The golf putting apparatus of claim 10, wherein said ball return apparatus comprises a flipper device pivotally mounted about a vertical axis for ejecting the ball out of the ball tray to return the ball to the person making the putt.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for pivotally mounting said flipper device comprises pivotal movement of said flipper device about a generally vertical pivot axis between the substantially normal position wherein the flipper device is disposed along the rear face of said ball tray to the extended position in such a manner to eject the ball from said ball tray and return the ball back to the person making the putt.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means to pivotally move flipper device to the extended position in such a manner to eject the ball from the tray is the contracting force exerted by means of the spring attached to the anchor of the pivoting end of said flipper device and secured to the fixed anchor at the gearbox connection.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein means for pivotal movement mechanically of said flipper device from a normally biased extended position to a retreated position comprises a rotational energy connecting element.
 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said flipper device is recessed at the end opposite the pivotal end and forms the ball pocket when it intersects with said main housing at the retreated position.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said flipper device contains an opening in said ball pocket portion of the flipper device for the protrusion of the release switch contactor. 